The work of two former Northbrook College students is featured in a new graphic novel, which has launched in Brighton.

Illustration graduates Lee Miller and Joe McKelvey created artwork for ‘Brighton’s Graphics War’, published by Queenspark Books, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the First World War with the work of young writers and artists from across Brighton & Hove.

The artists worked with former Northbrook life-drawing tutor Paul Collicutt, who acted as mentor and organizer for the project. Lee and Joe were given a chapter to illustrate, with Lee also working on the script for chapter five ‘The Ghosts in the Storm Outside’.

The novel is based on the lives of local people up to and including the First World War. The participants used local stories and archive images from the period between 1900-1920 to develop their stories and artwork, and were supported throughout by experienced comic writer Tim Pilcher.

The launch of the novel was held at Lighthouse in Brighton , with the proceedings opened by Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell and ex laureate Dave Gibbons, famous for his artwork in the bestselling graphic novel ‘The Watchmen’.

Since graduating from Northbrook, Joe McKelvey has worked in the creative division of the illustration agency Advocate Art and also worked at Arnold KLP where he contributed concept designs for Budweiser.